GLENDALE, Ariz. — The feeling inside the Patriots locker room after it was all over was universal: The game-winning play was made by the perfect Patriot, the player who best represents who they believe they are as a team.

Julian Edelman.

It was Edelman, the Patriots indispensable do-everything receiver — the same guy who threw a crucial touchdown pass in their comeback AFC wild-card win over the Ravens — who caught the touchdown that won Super Bowl XLIX for New England.

Edelman made a move on Seattle backup cornerback Tharold Simon in the left flat to get open for Tom Brady to loft a pass his way in the end zone. The catch, which came with 2:02 remaining in the game, gave the Patriots the 28-24 lead that would end up as the final score.

Julian Edelman scores the go-ahead touchdown with just over 2 minutes left.Reuters

The win had Edelman’s fingerprints all over it. The final three yards of the 109 receiving yards he had on nine catches came on the game-winning score.

“That guy means as much to this football team as any man in a uniform,’’ said Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater, who is Edelman’s roommate. “There is none tougher, not a person tougher on this team, not a person who has given more physically, emotionally and mentally this season. It’s so fitting that he made that play.’’

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels called Edelman “one of the toughest players I’ve ever has a chance to coach.’’

“He was physical, getting knocked down numerous times and taking a bunch of big hits, but he just keeps playing and playing,’’ McDaniels said. “He’s a self-made player and a tremendous guy for our team.’’

Edelman took so many hits, it looked at times as if he could have suffered a concussion.

The worst hit appeared to take place in the fourth quarter, when Brady connected with him on a pass across the middle and took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor.

Fox Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira tweeted there should have been a penalty called on the play.

Asked after the game if he were tested for a concussion, Edelman said he wasn’t allowed to talk about injuries.

At one point during his postgame interview, he accidentally referred to Seattle as “St. Louis.’’

“I’m exhausted and I’m sore,’’ Edelman said when asked how he felt.

“He gives you everything he’s got on every play,’’ Slater said. “He’s the only guy I know that will go full-speed in a walkthrough at the hotel. That sums it up. He’s a guy that’s all about team first and he’s going to outcompete anybody on the field. He’s just a glue guy for this team.’’

When Bill Belichick drafted Edelman out of Kent State, where he was a quarterback, the Patriots coach told him, “I don’t know what position you’re going to play; we drafted you because you’re a football player.’’

Edelman described the game-winning touchdown like this: “Coach called a return route. It was man coverage. They’re a big, tall team, so we’re not going to throw fade patterns there to me — 5-10 against 6-2. Coach [Belichick] told me to take advantage of my quickness and I was able to do that.’’

Said Patriots quarterback Tom Brady: “I saw Jules, I had an opportunity to move up in the pocket, and Jules had kind of a deep in-cut. I tried to drill it to him and he caught it and made a great catch.’’